Channel 4’s New Detective Drama Is Set In York – But Was It Filmed There?
By
16 hours ago
Here's what you need to know
A new detective drama begins on Channel 4 tonight, an English adaptation of a successful Franco-Belgian drama, Astrid et Raphaëlle, that has been running for five seasons on the continent. But where was Patience filmed? Set in York in this English adaptation, Patience shares more with the original series than just the plot…
Patience (Ella Maisy Purvis) in York with Bea (Laura Fraser) Will (Ali Ariaie) and Jake (Nathan Welsh) in Patience. (Channel 4)
Where Was Patience Filmed?
Channel 4’s new crime drama Patience may be set in York, but most of the series was actually filmed in Antwerp, just across the North Sea from the UK in Belgium. ‘Antwerp, where most of the filming took place, was fantastic,’ shares Ella Maisy Purvis, who leads the series as Patience. ‘I think about the food there almost daily. On set, they had this food truck that stayed all day, filled with so many snacks and drinks and the most amazing breakfast spread I’ve ever seen. It was all so incredibly European, with the freshest bread every morning – it was heavenly.
‘I also really liked working with the crew who were all local,’ Ella adds. ‘They were too lovely for words, and I learnt so much about the city and its culture through them. I’ve made lifelong connections with so many of them.’
A port city in Belgium’s northerly Flemish Region, Antwerp is full of Gothic and Renaissance architecture just like Great Britain’s ancient city of York, where Patience is set. However, parts of the series were also filmed in York, especially where recognisable buildings and landmarks are concerned.
‘York was just magical,’ Ella shares. ‘Walking through The Shambles at around 3 or 4 o’clock felt like you were in some sort of Victorian film. I couldn’t get over how much the whole place felt like a movie set, yet this was just where people actually lived. I have to admit, I’m quite prone to falling down and I’m a little clumsy – so trying to tackle those cobbles in a pair of loafers was a nightmare! But so worth it for that scenery.’
‘I loved the skies in Antwerp,’ adds co-star Laura Fraser, who stars as DI Bea Metcalf. ‘We were there in spring and lived by the river. Me and Ella would go by the water on our days off and do Tai Chi together. I loved staying in York too, hearing the church bells and the birds from my window overlooking the beautiful cathedral.’
Patience Evans (Ella Maisy Purvis) in Patience. (Channel 4)
WATCH
Patience begins tonight (Wednesday 8 January) at 9pm on Channel 4. The six-part drama will air on Wednesday and Thursday evenings for three weeks. Catch up at channel4.com
